[GUIDE] Contribute/Require Bits Guide

With Pictures!

Here it is, a simple, hopefully understandable analogy for how Nova's Contribute and Require bits work. I've seen several people complain that they can't understand it, but it seems like it should be fairly simple. As some of you may guess, this guide was partly inspired by NovaTools' excellent format for presenting the Cont/Req bits (that was a hint for you editor makers).

I've made two versions, which you can see here and here. Please tell me which one you prefer, and I'll add it into the post.

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Exhibit temporarily removed for cleaning. Please see the websites listed above for the current versions.
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Please post any comments you may have.

Edwards

Attached File(s)

This post has been edited by Edwards : 20 August 2005 - 05:54 PM

How about making the require card the opposite, having holes where the bits are checked and covered everywhere else? Then when you lay it on top of the contribute stack you can say that if there's any light at all coming through then the bits aren't met. If no light is coming through then you can have it.

Guy, on Aug 19 2005, 12:04 AM, said:

How about making the require card the opposite, having holes where the bits are checked and covered everywhere else? Then when you lay it on top of the contribute stack you can say that if there's any light at all coming through then the bits aren't met. If no light is coming through then you can have it.View Post

Heh.

I was actually working on that as you posted. Here it is.

Edwards

Ah, nice work! 🙂 The only problem with that way is you can't lay contribute cards on top of each other to get a combined result. I think it would be best if you kept the contribute cards like they are in your post but make the require cards like in the one you link to. (oh, and I think you mean 'Contribute' on the second line there)

This post has been edited by Guy : 19 August 2005 - 06:03 AM

Helpful! I find the version on your website clearer than the one in your first post.

I fid it clearer without an explanation. If you need a this ad that and only have a this, you're outta luck. But it may be I'm just weird.

Actually, I'm quite certain I'm weird.

Guy, on Aug 19 2005, 04:59 AM, said:

Ah, nice work! 🙂 The only problem with that way is you can't lay contribute cards on top of each other to get a combined result. I think it would be best if you kept the contribute cards like they are in your post but make the require cards like in the one you link to. (oh, and I think you mean 'Contribute' on the second line there)View Post

That first point is why I started out this way. However, I like your idea for combining the two, so here it is.
And yes, I did mean Contribute. Thank you.

Dr. Trowel, on Aug 19 2005, 06:13 AM, said:

Helpful! I find the version on your website clearer than the one in your first post.View Post

That would be because I spent another half-hour re-writing it as I re-did the graphics. The version in the post was a hastily-finished copy of what was effectively my notes of the idea for the guide. On the other hand, I needed the added push of needing to revise a low quality version to actually write a better one.

Edwards

I like the "if any light gets through then the item is forbidden" version because it allows the contribute cards for each item to be stacked in front of each other. That way if you sell a particular item then you simply remove its card from the contribute stack, rather than un-punching holes and checking to see if they need to be repunched.

That is, you can have a tab with the name of the outfit or ship on each card, so cards can be added or taken away at whim. Light is shone through the whole stack at once, with a single require card at the end, and if any light gets through the item whose require card it is cannot be purchased.

Also, it's easier to answer the question "Is any light coming through?" than the question "Is there any hole through which light is not coming?" because the latter necessitates finding all the holes whereas the former simply requires finding all the light. Light is easier to identify.

I think it would be easier for everyone to see this if you drew the punch-card at a 45 degree top-down and sideways angle so that the graphic shows light streaming through the holes and getting stopped by the opacities.

This post has been edited by Qaanol : 19 August 2005 - 02:14 PM